Semi-indirect-lighting fixture.



H. C. ADAM. SEMI-INDIRECT LIGHTNG FIXTURE.

APrLIoATION FILED I'mkz. um,

1,121,577y i Pa'eintedDec.15,1914;

' then projected f" El@ "l,

HARRY C. ADAM, OF ST. LGUIS, MISSOURI.'

SEMI-',INDIRECT-LIGHTIE'G FIXTURE.

Specication'ef Letters Patent.

Patented Deo. 15, 1914.,

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it'known that I,.HAunY C. ADAM, al

ture that is now in use. the top reflector 1sprovided with a dat horizontally-disposed reflecting surface, and the shield or inverted.

howl that is positioned under the lighting unit is formed from translucent material.

The translucent shield or bowl reflects the secondary rays oi' light upwardly onto the top reiiector, and these'secondary rays are downwardly through the translucent shield, and some ot the direct i rays that are reflected onto said top reflector are projected outwardly and ydownwardly without passing through the translucent shield' pass ,lowerv than the top and consequently some of the direct rays shield-Owing to the fact that the reflecting surface on the top reiiector is ilat and is disposed in a horizontal plane, a large volume of the secondary rays'which are projected downwardly through the translucent through-'the electric llamp bulb whichconsti-tutes the lighting unit, and it' the bulb is old and` blackened with age the rays fail to pass through same, thus causing a great loss of light. Furthermore, the rays' thatstrike the top reflector at points outside the 'reatest diameter of the translucent shiel are projected downwardly at a very'slight angle to a horizontal plane, and'conseq en tly are thrown radially or outwardlyfro the fixture lation *tol the ceiling upper edge of theI inverted bowl orshield that is positioned under 'of the lump filament,

passvoventhe'upper edge of the shield without striking the top reflector, thus producing an .intense glare on' horizontuli-'plane which is very objectionable.

Still another objectionable ie'ature of the 'lighting fixture abete-mentioned is-that it Iis not possible to form the top reflector of. "same, when-said reflector is ofconsi'derabloin planes that are inclined downwardly only slightly with iceof the room. TheI the lump bulb, is

diameter, 'of porcelain enameled sheet metal i owingto the tendency of the metal to twist and bend out of shape from the heat when it is being enameled, thus destroying the fiat horizontally disposed reflecting surta ce which is an essential feature of the top re- Hector.

' The main objectjof my invention is to provide a semi-indirect' lighting xture of the general type above-mentioned but .which isdistinguished frein the fixture of the particular iorin previously-described inv that the top reflector is so designed that the direct rays will be thrown downwardly at a'rather abrupt angle to a horizontal plane, and the secondary rays will rbe projected down wardly through the translucent shield without causing a large rays to pass through the lamp bulb, thus' causing the rays are most needed and insuring an eilicieiit light even after the lainp bulb has become' instead of being thrown outwardly 'in a plane approximately parallel to the ceiling, and the other reflecting surface which, 1s located at the center of the reflector causing volume of the second ary" to be thrown where outwardly and downwardly at 'i such an angle that the rays are concentrated a large 1volume of the secondary rays rellected from the translucent shield to be projected downwardly through said'shield without striking or passing 'through the lamp bulb. Another object is to provide aserni-indirect lighting fixture. which' is so designed that none oit the direct rays ro'mthe light canescapc without striking the .translucent shield or Vthc top reflector, thus eliminating an intense horizontal glare. p

Another object is toA provide a semi-indirect lighting liXture-havin a top reflector oi; the character above descri )ed which comprises a portion'that surrounds the skirt of theelectric'lamp bulb and thus serves as -a reflector forjthe secondary rays that'are concentrated at fthe center ol the top reflector. i

Another object is to provide a collapsible means of novel construction for' holding the inverted. bowl or vtranslucent shield of.

the fixture, which means isv so ldesignedthat standard glasswaremay be used to form the diffusing shield ofthe fixture. And still another object is to provide a semi-indirect lighting fixture in which the means that sustains the top reflector and holds it in position also carries the lamp socket, end is so designed that the electric wires that supply current to the lamp can lead into the side of the lampsocltet and thus comply With certain requirements of the fire-underwriters.

Other objects and, desirable features of my invention will be hereinafter pointed out.

Figure l of the drawings is a lvertical sectional view of an indirect lighting fixture' constructed in. accordance with my inven- 420 tion; anduFig. 2 is a perspective View of the positioning block that forms part of the means for. supporting the inverted bowl or d ifl'us'ng shield of the'fixture.

' trate the preferred form of my invention,-A designates the to'p reflector of the fixture -which is round,4 and -B designates the diffusing shield that is positioned unde'r `the lighting unit which preferably consists of an electric light bulb-C, said shieldbeing in the .foi'moff 'an inverted bouh. The top refiectorA can be formed from anyV suitable material, and it ycan either be provided with al plain edge or a fiangededge, the reflector l A 'herein 'shown being provided at its. outer edge; with a vertically-disposed flange l Whose upper edge bears against the ceiling, as shown in Fig. 1.l Adjacent the outer edge of the4 top jijeflectoiQAt is a reflecting sur- 40 face r which is inclined lupwart'ill'y.from Vthe outer edge of the reflector, and adjacent the center of thegreflector is an oppositely inclined reflecting surface y, said reflecting l 'surfaces either merging into eachy other or else merging into a flat or horizontally dis-` y posed ring-shaped portion' e, Shown- While I have herein illustrated my invena's herein tion embodied'ina semi-indirect lighting fixture that is provided with a round top re' -flectord and a substantially inverted semi# sphericalfshaped diflusing shield. l wish it V' to-'be understood that my invention is not.

linited to i a fixture provided with a top rel fmfhereinillustrated, for the top reflector rind ',fl'uvsig shield could be of various other l ."fny"'iiiventicn. f The up'per 'edge'of the diffusing shield or ti-a`1i`l u c`ent,A boyvlB preferably terminates at I 'i'itabove`A he filaxi'ient i ofthe" electric f ulbC prevent-airy rays from pe "ge of sadshield ...el 110D reflector shield without ectorlrand a diffusing shield of the exact.

out departing from the spirit' ofl l In View oflthe fact `that the reflecting surfacea: inclinesv upwardly from a hor1- zontal plane'the direct rays ai that strike against same will be projected downwardly and, also outwardly in` approximately the planes indicated by the broken lines :lf2 in Fig. l, thus causing the light to be concentrated instead of being thrown across the room' in planes approximately' prallelto the ceiling of the room. The secondary ling through'the lampbulb C. Consequently there is very little loss of lightwith my iniproved fixture when the lamp bulb becomes blackened withiage, owing to the fact. that ing surface which is so disposed that a large volumecf the secondary rays which are re- Referring to the .drawings which illusflected onto same -frorn the diffusing shield, will be projected downwardly through said passing through the lamp bulb. Moreover, there lis no horizontal glare between the top reflectorand the diffusing shield for said shield is 4so propor-r tioned and is so. positioned With relation to the top reflector that none of the 'direct rays shield oil striking against the top reflector.

Ycan escape without passing through the.- v

I prefer-itc provide the top-reflector A i l with a reflecting portion 2 that surrounds the metal skirt 3 of the electric lamp and thus serves as a reflector for the secondary rays that concentrate at the center of the top reflector..

It is immaterial. so far as my broadidea is concerned how the ytop reflector is sustained in position orhow'the translucent bowl or diffusing shield B is supported, but l'. prefer to provide the fixture with a-supporting' member D for A'the topreflector which may be formed vfrom cast metal or drawn sheet metal and which is subfftantially inverted cup-shape sc ,that it will eci-vc saidy porcelain receptacle 4 being seein-ed by means of screws (E or lother suitable devices to the top wall of tlie'n'ieniber D or to a' ring shaped device 7 that issccuied to said top Walh At the upper end ofthe' member. DA are wings or lugs 8 through which screws 9 or other lsuitable fastening devicespass so as to secure thei'neiiiber D to an outlet box" or other suitable'support 10 in the ceiling. At the lower end of the ii'ieiiibei". D are wings or lugs ll. tcrwhich the-topl reflectorA is connected by means of' screws-l2 or other suitable rfastening dcvicesi 'le which supply electricmirent yt0 th lllp:

i so

I t v l In thefside. of the members D' are openings .13 `for'the. Wires s5- the top reflector is provided with a reflectthe fire-underwriters.

C, thus permitting the wires to be led in through the side of the member D and connected to the lamp socket without passing through the top of said member, a requirement which is some times insisted upon by ln practice l prefer to provide the member D with side openings 13 for the wires and also form a knock-out portion 15 in the top wall of `the member ll), for a purpose well understood 'b v those familiar with this art. u

operating with One lfeature ot my improved fixture which.

l believe isnov'el is the collapsible supporting or sustaining means that l prefer to use for holding the shield B in position, said ,means being so designed that it can be packed conveniently for shipping and also permits the use of standard glassware ,to form the diffusing shield of the fixture. By standard glassware I mean glass shades or reflectors such as are now in general use on direct electric lighting fixtures, and which are provided at the top with an opening so as to permit the electric light bulb to be screwed into the socket from which the shade is suspended.

By referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be seen that the means that l prefer to use for supporting the' shield of my improved' fixture lconsists otl a.y plurality of arms 16 arranged inside ot the shieldB and connected at their` lower ends to a member 1T that fits inside of. an opening lformed in the bottom of the shield B, 'saidmember coa cap-piece 18to forma closure for the opening in the shield. The upper ends of the arms 16 are provided with hooks 16a that project through the links of `chains 19 suspended from hooks 2O `which preferablyv pass through portion a of the top reflector yand are securely connected thereto bynuts or in any other suitable manner. The member 17 and cap-piece 1.8, which form a closure for the opening in the bottom of the shield B, are

ends of the arms 146 are clamped to the shield by means of a' bolt 21 which passes through a washer 22 vand through a positioning -bloclr 23, between which hook-shaped'extensions at the lower clamped, said block 23 .having grooves frmed in the upper edge of same for receiving the .arms 16# so as to hold said arms in a certain position with Lelation to Veach other; The po.

sitioningblock Q3 rests upon the member 17 .and consequently when the nut 2l4 on the "holt 21 isrightened .the arms 16 will be securely clamped between the washer 2'2 and the positioning block 23 and the member 17 and cap-piece 18 will be securely clamped to the. shieldv B when thevornamenta'l nut' 211 on the eXtreme-'lower endet thebolt is .tigt'itenedv J ment upon semi-indirect the ring-shaped "A, fixture of: the` construction above-dei scribed can be manuaturedlfat ajlow costly,

owing to the fact that standard glassware' can be used to form the diffusing shield of 1 shipped in knock-down Jform; and furthermore, is so designed that it is not necessary to form perforations or holes in the vdifffusing shield in order to secure it to its sustaining means. And still 'anotherdesirable feature ot said fixture which is very important from a manufacturing standpoint .is that the top reflector can be formed in large sizes from porcelain enameled steel, owingI to the fact that the angularly-disposed portions ot said top reflector' impart suflicient stillness to same to prevent it from buckling or bending' out of shape during the operation of enameling the reflector. These, in

'addition to the desirable features Apreviouslymentioned in regard tothe reflection of the light, make my xture a decided .improveelectric lighting fixtures heretofore in use.'

Having thus described y invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A semi-indirect lighting fixture, comprising a top reflector'and a translucent diffusing shield arranged above and below the lighting unit, respectively, the upper edge portion of said shield being flared outwardly and said top reflector having areflecting surface, transverse cross section from its inner to its outer edge, that projects. outwardly and upwardly away from the lighting unit and which is disposed 'at such an angle that indirect rays of light which are reflected onto same from the flared upper portion of the translucent diffusing shield will be pro-v jected downwardly in substantially vertical paths without passingthrough the lighting unit.

2. A semi-indirect lighting fixture comprising a top reflector' and a translucent diffusing shield arranged -above and below the lighting'unit, respectively, said shield having an outwardlyflared upper edge portion and said top reflector being provided with two oppositely inclined reflecting surfaces arranged in concentric relation, the inner reflecting surface being in the i'orm of' an inverted frustum oiA a cone onto which indirect vrays are projected' from the outwardly flared portion of said/ diffusing shield.

straight or uncurved in 3. .A semi-indirect lighting fixture com-'j prising a topreflectior anda translucent diffusing shield arranged above and below the lighting unit, respectively, the upper edge portionv of said shield being inclined or fleeting surfaces that are inclined in opposite. directions to each other, one of said inclined reflecting surfaces acting-'to project' the rays downwardly which are reflected onto same from the flared portion of said shield.

Vand adjacentvits center with an independ- ,with` a reflecting surface which inclines upwai-diyv4 toward the center of the refiector,1

' ent reflecting surface consisting of an 0ppositely inclined suiface onto which indirect rays are reflected from the inclined portion of said shield 5. A semi-indirect flighting xtuie com prising a top reflector and a translucent diifusing shield arranged above and below .the lighting unit, respectively,said shield having a portion that inclines outwardly' away 'from the lighting unit and said top 'reflectoi being provided withtwo reflecting surfaces that foi-m 4practically the entire underside. of the reflector, the inner one consisting of an inclined reflcctin g surface disposed at such an angle that the maJor portion of the reflected secondary rays from theinclined portion on the shield are projected downwardly in paths outside of the lighting unit, and the outer one consisting of an oppositely inclined surface disposed at such an that the `direct rays are projected dowiiwardly` at rather abrupt angies to a horizontalplane.

fi. In a semi-indirect lighting fixture, atop reflector, :i substai'itiaily bowl-shaped translucent diffusing shield whose upper edge portion flares outwardly, and a. lighting unit arranged intermediate said reflector and shield, saidy top reflector consisting of a member having a center opening through which the lighting unit or the supporting means for saine passes, and provided on its underside with 'two reflecting surfaces, thev outer one of,l which inclines upwardly from the outer edge of said member and the inner one of wliichmclines 'upwardly from the center opening in saidmcmber so that it will project the raysfdownivardly which are reflected ontofsame from the outwardly 'flared portion at the upper edge ofsaid. shield 7. In a semi-indirect lighting fixture, a' top reflector,- a substantially bowl-shaped translucent diffusing shield, and a lighting u niti arranged intermediate said reflector. and shield, said, top reflector consisting .of

galmember'havinga center opening through whichthe'lighting o r the supporting tally disposed integral portion of saidv member. S. A top reflector for a semi-indirect electric lightingl fixture provided with two oppositcly inclined reflecting surfaces and also with a reflecting portion vthat covers the 8o skirt of the electric light bulb which constitutes'the lighting unit, one ofsaid reflecting surfaces inclining upwardly fromi the outer edge of the reflector `and the other reflecting surface incli'ning upwardlyfromt85 the reflecting portion that' covers the skirt of the lamp bulb. v

9. A semi-'indirect .electric lighting fixlture comprising a top reflector and a translucent diffusing shield arranged aboveand 9o below'the electric light bulb, respectively, and consisting of separate and distinct members that are spaced away from-each other, said diffusing shield having an outwardly flared portion 4that extends above the upper 95 end of the filament of the bulb and the top reflector being provided 'adjacent itscenterwith. an inverted' frusto-conicalfshaped rei fleeting surface' onto which indirect rays are redected from the flared upper edge portion lot of the didusing shield and provided at its outer edge portion with 4an oppositely in- 'clined reflecting surface of frusto-conical shape form.

10. ln a semi-indirect lighting fixture, a 105 shield that is adapted vto be arranged under the lighting unit and which is provided at its lower end with an opening, cooperating members detachably .connected together so as to forma closure for said'opening,'and a' 110 collapsible sustaining means for the shield getachably connected to said closure' memers. 11. In a semiindirectllighfng fixture, a shield that is adaptedto be arranged under lltiA the lighting unit and which is provided at its lower end with an opening, a member Ithat fits in Asaid opening, sustaining arms; arranged inside of the shield, a positioning device supported by said closure member `12"() for holding said arms in position, and means for clamping said arms to sald positioning device.y l

12. In a semiindirect lighting fixture',` a.

shield that' is adapted to be arranged under 121i the lighting unitfand `which is provided at its lower end With-an opening, cooperating members arranged on opposite sides of the? shield and forimng a closure for said opening, sustaining arms arranged inside of thjflm. i

imam? shed,` a pnsoning device hm; engages said arms and maids them in a certain pos tion with mimic@ each othaz, m16! means for campg said mms m, said positioning 'device and 'for damping said csm'e members *Z he shie'd.

14. In a semndes ightng {1Km-re, a. top reflects?, .and s siiszanng membe for rm tsp lejector navidad. with mLelect-c amp @achat having side opening through which @we wfes can be ed to the side the weken mngc inside oi said member for receiving .diffusing shield o HAE, C. ADAM.

'Wmesses z /TELLS L HURCH, GEGRGE EAKEWELL.

ffl 

